Chapter 26
‘So you’re coming home for Christmas? Go on, go on, you know you want to,’ Lois wheedled over the phone. ‘God knows, I want you to. And Cora was asking the other day if you’d be back. So did Paddy, now I think of it. See?’ she concluded brightly, ‘That’s loads of us!’
Well, a grand total of three.
Mimi hadn’t decided what to do for Christmas. Marcus’s elderly father was growing increasingly frail and Marcus would be heading up to Newcastle for what could be their last Christmas together. The idea of returning to Goosebrook in his absence had seemed strange at first, but if she was honest, it was where she most wanted to be.
‘Go on then, you’ve twisted my arm,’ she told Lois, and heard a whoop of delight at the other end of the line. ‘I’ll book my flight for Christmas Eve.’ Touched by the thought of others asking after her, she added, ‘You can tell Cora I’ll see her soon.’
Lois said playfully, ‘I shall, and I’ll mention it to Paddy too.’
Mimi smiled, because Lois had taken to teasing her about Paddy, pretending there was a potential relationship there waiting to happen. Whereas in reality, and pointless though it still might be, she was far more interested in Cal. By way of a diversion she said, ‘Any ideas of a small present I could buy for Cora?’
‘Hmm, let me have a think,’ said Lois. ‘Maybe something to keep her warm, seeing as they’re heading off the day after Boxing Day for a skiing holiday in Austria.’
Oh.
Oh.
An hour later, an email popped up on Mimi’s laptop from CJ’s US editor, Carmen.
Hey M,
Can I ask you to show these edited pages to CJ and confirm that he’s happy with the small changes we’ve made before they go off to the printers?
Thanks so much!
Also, I’m belatedly attaching a couple of photos that my husband took in August when we came to visit PP – we’re currently knee-deep in snow here in NYC so I thought CJ might like a reminder of happier, sunnier times!
Mimi had heard from CJ that Carmen and her husband had flown over to Europe back in the summer, and had incorporated a visit to Puerto Pollensa into their trip. The photos had been taken here, out on the terrace, at the end of what had presumably been a long and enjoyable lunch. The table was awash with glasses, wine bottles and plates containing remnants of food. There was CJ, tanned and shiny with perspiration, raising his glass to the camera alongside Carmen, equally tanned but far less shiny in a white shirt and trousers and a wide-brimmed straw hat. To the left of them sat Mirielle, who ran a boutique in Alcudia and had briefly been CJ’s girlfriend last year. And at the other end of the table was a young woman in a blue sundress, whose dark-blonde hair was held back from her face in a high ponytail.
In the first photo, everyone was smiling broadly for the camera. The second one, taken when they’d stopped posing, showed the rest of them laughing together while the girl in the blue dress, wielding a pen, wrote something in the notebook on the table in front of her.
It was Willa, Mimi realised. Probably scribbling down a line of dialogue CJ had just blurted out. Never having met Willa or seen a photo of her before, she’d always imagined her to be dark-haired and curvaceous. On the phone, her voice was quiet but efficient.
The door to the office swung open and CJ stuck his head round. ‘Sorry to interrupt when you’re busy looking at your holiday photos, but any chance of a coffee for the worker?’
‘I’ll bring you one.’ Mimi beckoned him over and pointed to the screen. ‘Look, Carmen just sent these.’
He came to peer over her shoulder. ‘Back in the summer. I remember.’
‘Is that Willa?’ She tapped the screen.
‘Of course it’s Willa.’
‘No need to snap. I’ve never seen a photo of her before. She looks nice.’
‘And there’s Mirielle.’ CJ grimaced. ‘Not nice.’
Mirielle, it transpired, had been simultaneously carrying on with an athletic young Majorcan who ran a boat that took tourists out on dolphin-watching trips.
Mimi said, ‘Can I send a copy of these to Willa? She might like to see them.’
‘If you want. After you’ve made me my coffee.’
‘How many words have you done today?’
‘Fifteen hundred. Because I’m a complete hero.’
‘Glad to hear it.’ Mimi beamed. ‘Now get back to work.’
Once she’d taken CJ his Americano, she sent the photos on to Willa along with a friendly message asking how she was doing and hoping all was well.
Five minutes later, Willa’s reply popped into her inbox:
Hi Mimi,
Many thanks for these! I remember Carmen and Steve’s visit very clearly – they were great fun. (I wouldn’t fit into that blue dress now.)
And I’m feeling fine, thanks. Bit tired, but apparently that’s par for the course. Mum’s spoiling me, which is nice! Are you heading home for Christmas or staying in PP?
Hope CJ isn’t working you too hard, anyway. How’s he doing – is he seeing anyone at the moment?
Thank you again for the photos.
Willa x
Glad to hear all’s well with you, and how lovely that your mum is spoiling you. I’ve just booked my flight home on Christmas Eve – hooray! CJ still hasn’t decided whether to stay here or zip over to London to visit Anna and Tom – you know what he’s like about making decisions. (And no, he’s having a girlfriend break at the moment. The last one turned out to be another gold-digger, surprise surprise.)
Mimi paused, wondering if Willa was aware of the details of CJ’s traumatic childhood. There had been no further mention of it since the night he’d confided in her, and he’d blocked the one or two attempts she’d made to suggest that it might help if he talked things through with a professional. Anyway, it wasn’t her place to mention it—
‘AAARRGH,’ CJ bellowed from inside his office, making her jump. She heard his chair scrape back, followed by a crash of china on the marble floor.
‘What is it?’ she called out.
‘FUCKING MONSTER SPIDER ON THE WALL. GET IN HERE AND DEAL WITH IT!’
He was such a wuss when it came to insects. Mimi typed: Whoops, have to go, spider emergency. Happy Christmas! M x
Coffee had splashed everywhere including across CJ’s desk and writing pad where he’d flailed his arms in panic and sent the cup flying. It took Mimi twenty minutes to catch the poor traumatised spider and put it safely outside, then clean up the mess in the office while CJ recovered in the living room with a stiff drink and an episode of Line of Duty on Netflix to calm his nerves.
When order had finally been restored and she returned to her laptop, she saw that Willa had replied to her hastily signed-off message with a row of spider emojis.
Mimi grinned and wondered if she’d get the chance to meet her one day. Willa sounded great.